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Diversity Statement Questions

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 2:10 pm
by BillsFan9907
Under what circumstances should those who are white/ white-Non-URM mixed write diversity statements?

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 2:13 pm
by patogordo
i think it's risky. adcoms are likely to wonder why you would willingly leave the U.S. and put yourself at risk, knowing that your family would suffer greatly if you were murdered.

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 3:01 pm
by banjo
Depending on where you lived and why, I think you could write a credible diversity statement. The key question is whether you have a certain perspective that would enrich the law school community. A couple of years bartending in Europe won't give you much perspective, but 10 years in Pakistan might.

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 3:12 pm
by sideroxylon
it's not going to help you

what's your LSAT? do you need the bump?

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 3:16 pm
by McAvoy
patogordo wrote:i think it's risky. adcoms are likely to wonder why you would willingly leave the U.S. and put yourself at risk, knowing that your family would suffer greatly if you were murdered.
Spot on. Don't think the benefit outweighs the risks here.

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 3:21 pm
by bjsesq
I think it will make you come across like a selfish asshole

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 3:28 pm
by RCSOB657
Unless you were a merc or something of that nature, I would assume you were doing something different than most people. If you just traveled a lot for pleasure, no. If you were a US soldier that spent the 6 years of your adult life in combat, sure. What's the deal?

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 3:51 pm
by IPmaybe
If you could cover it in your personal statement (unless you are completely redoing the personal statement and are planning on completely ignoring this part of your story), I don't see what writing a separate diversity statement would get you.

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 3:56 pm
by McAvoy
IPmaybe wrote:If you could cover it in your personal statement (unless you are completely redoing the personal statement and are planning on completely ignoring this part of your story), I don't see what writing a separate diversity statement would get you.
This is pretty damning, coming from someone who sincerely advocated last week that a upper-middle class white girl from Minnesota should write a diversity statement about working in IT

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:05 pm
by RZ5646
Retake for money

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:11 pm
by patogordo
RZ5646 wrote:Question: let's say I'm white but I'm lower-middle class and the first person in my family to go to college. Does that make me diverse?

Seems to me like class has a much greater effect on academic achievement than race, so it's kinda ridiculous that for example Obama's kids would get a URM bonus but the kid from Good Will Hunting would not.
makes sense. i would include this argument in your diversity statement so they understand why you're writing it, though.

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:16 pm
by IPmaybe
McAvoy wrote:
IPmaybe wrote:If you could cover it in your personal statement (unless you are completely redoing the personal statement and are planning on completely ignoring this part of your story), I don't see what writing a separate diversity statement would get you.
This is pretty damning, coming from someone who sincerely advocated last week that a upper-middle class white girl from Minnesota should write a diversity statement about working in IT
I sincerely don't understand your anger about different opinions of diversity, but either way, I did not advocate anything in that post. I presented a possible scenario that the OP may be able to present in a diversity statement. If you believe that equals advocacy then so be it. I never suggested she should or that it would come out as a great statement. I just pushed back against all of you very angry anti-diversity crowd about a white woman being incapable of being diverse according to law school admissions (when in fact, and in opposition to your thoughts of how diversity works, many law school applications define diversity very broadly). Others in the thread suggested she include those aspects in a personal statement. I happen to agree, if those aspects fit into her personal statement.

It's the same for this scenario. I believe the OP could write a compelling diversity statement (even as a white male), but why do that if you are going to include it in a personal statement. It's the same for members of the LGBT community. If it's a major plot point in your personal statement, don't be redundant in the diversity statement. They are different yet interrelated stories.

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:19 pm
by McAvoy
RZ5646 wrote:Question: let's say I'm white but I'm lower-middle class and the first person in my family to go to college. Does that make me diverse?

Seems to me like class has a much greater effect on academic achievement than race, so it's kinda ridiculous that for example Obama's kids would get a URM bonus but the kid from Good Will Hunting would not.
basically my scenario too; still wouldn't write about it though. Worry about your numbers instead and everything will take care of itself.

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:20 pm
by McAvoy
IPmaybe wrote:
McAvoy wrote:
IPmaybe wrote:If you could cover it in your personal statement (unless you are completely redoing the personal statement and are planning on completely ignoring this part of your story), I don't see what writing a separate diversity statement would get you.
This is pretty damning, coming from someone who sincerely advocated last week that a upper-middle class white girl from Minnesota should write a diversity statement about working in IT
I sincerely don't understand your anger about different opinions of diversity, but either way, I did not advocate anything in that post. I presented a possible scenario that the OP may be able to present in a diversity statement. If you believe that equals advocacy then so be it. I never suggested she should or that it would come out as a great statement. I just pushed back against all of you very angry anti-diversity crowd about a white woman being incapable of being diverse according to law school admissions (when in fact, and in opposition to your thoughts of how diversity works, many law school applications define diversity very broadly). Others in the thread suggested she include those aspects in a personal statement. I happen to agree, if those aspects fit into her personal statement.

It's the same for this scenario. I believe the OP could write a compelling diversity statement (even as a white male), but why do that if you are going to include it in a personal statement. It's the same for members of the LGBT community. If it's a major plot point in your personal statement, don't be redundant in the diversity statement. They are different yet interrelated stories.
This makes me very angry

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:28 pm
by Moneytrees
McAvoy wrote:
RZ5646 wrote:Question: let's say I'm white but I'm lower-middle class and the first person in my family to go to college. Does that make me diverse?

Seems to me like class has a much greater effect on academic achievement than race, so it's kinda ridiculous that for example Obama's kids would get a URM bonus but the kid from Good Will Hunting would not.
basically my scenario too; still wouldn't write about it though. Worry about your numbers instead and everything will take care of itself.
Why? You've been raging against people writing diversity essays on several threads now. What's your deal? If a kid grew up in destitute poverty, worked multiple jobs through high school to afford to even apply to school, and was the first one of his family to get a secondary education, then there's nothing wrong with writing a diversity statement about that, as long as those things haven't been touched in his/her PS.

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:33 pm
by bjsesq
You might want to look at OP's very recent post history before you start going full retard on each other re: diversity statements.

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:34 pm
by El Pollito
You guys are going to be fantastic law students.

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:38 pm
by patogordo
just print this thread to pdf an attach it to your application

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:43 pm
by McAvoy
Moneytrees wrote:
McAvoy wrote:
RZ5646 wrote:Question: let's say I'm white but I'm lower-middle class and the first person in my family to go to college. Does that make me diverse?

Seems to me like class has a much greater effect on academic achievement than race, so it's kinda ridiculous that for example Obama's kids would get a URM bonus but the kid from Good Will Hunting would not.
basically my scenario too; still wouldn't write about it though. Worry about your numbers instead and everything will take care of itself.
Why? You've been raging against people writing diversity essays on several threads now. What's your deal? If a kid grew up in destitute poverty, worked multiple jobs through high school to afford to even apply to school, and was the first one of his family to get a secondary education, then there's nothing wrong with writing a diversity statement about that, as long as those things haven't been touched in his/her PS.
LOL how have I been raging? Please feel free to quote and demonstrate. Also this thread is flame.

But I think that, as a general rule, a white kid doing a diversity statement is more of a liability than a potential boost. Fair or unfair, fact of the matter is that race is what is important in getting a diversity boost. They do these to cover their asses and try to justify diversifying, how one 0L put it recently, "the voice of [their] law school community." A white kid who has overcome socioeconomic/family background obstacles in getting to law school can risk coming across as a lot of things they don't intend when they do a diversity statement, and, even if they avoid that, it's probably not going to really help -- or at least that's what the data indicate.

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:46 pm
by bjsesq
Or don't. Impotent raging also works.

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:58 pm
by gatesome
McAvoy wrote:But I think that, as a general rule, a white kid doing a diversity statement is more of a liability than a potential boost. Fair or unfair, fact of the matter is that race is what is important in getting a diversity boost.
Racist bullshit.

Law schools already know your race from other parts of your application (unless you choose not to disclose). If they only care about race, there is no need for a diversity statement at all.

The only way a diversity statement is a liability is if you're a terrible writer and submit sixteen pages of "I have black friends."

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 5:01 pm
by patogordo
gatesome wrote: Law schools already know your race from other parts of your application (unless you choose not to disclose). If they only care about race, there is no need for a diversity statement at all.
check you supreme court cases

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 5:02 pm
by McAvoy
patogordo wrote:
gatesome wrote: Law schools already know your race from other parts of your application (unless you choose not to disclose). If they only care about race, there is no need for a diversity statement at all.
check you supreme court cases

Diversity Statement Questions

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 5:07 pm
by BillsFan9907
Okay thanks.

Re: Another white dood wants 2 do a diversity statement

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 5:11 pm
by bjsesq
Turning to a discussion on AA. Good stuff, I'm intrigued.